MO- Accused teacher was at 11 schools in 11 years

MO- Accused teacher was at 11 schools in 11 years

Eleven schools in eleven years. That's the troubling track record of teacher Joseph Thomas Maddock who has been charged with sexually assaulting a ten year old student. This doesn't pass the smell test. We strongly suspect that staff and parents at several of these schools knew of or suspected Maddock's crimes and did little or nothing to stop him. The notion that a child molesting teacher moves so much so quickly but no one sees or suspects anything suspicious defies logic and common sense.

Some of these schools are elite private institutions, where teachers and administrators likely worried about their enrollments and reputations if a child sex scandal erupted. But that's of course no excuse. Other schools are in large districts that have likely had ample experience in dealing with known or suspected child molesters. They too have no excuse for not notifying police or parents about possible child sex crimes.

We implore current and former staff and students at each of these schools to examine their consciences and find some strength. A charge is not a conviction, and law enforcement authorities can always use more evidence and witnesses, especially in child sex cases. We urge them to share what they know or remember or believe - no matter how old, small or seemingly insignificant - with police and prosecutors, so that this criminal might be kept away from children for a long time.